This invention relates to a de-icing device of an aircraft gas-turbine engine.
More particularly, the invention relates to a de-icing device arranged in an engine cowling in the inflow region of the latter.
It is known from the state of the art to attach an annular tube element within a double-walled inflow region of an engine cowling adjacent to an inflow region or an annular lip, into which tube element hot air is introduced which escapes through outlet openings of the tube element, thereby heating the wall of the annular lip from the inside (piccolo tube de-icing principle).
Due to its design, an annular tube element of this type has a very large diameter. In combination with the wide variations in temperature involved during the operation of an aircraft gas turbine, this leads to strong thermal expansions and contractions, resulting in high thermal stresses. These thermal stresses not only affect the annular tube element itself, but also its support. For this reason, the state of the art, as for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,670, employs very elaborate measures to support the tube element in such a way that the support is not damaged by the thermal expansions or contractions, respectively. This all results in high manufacturing costs and in an overall construction of significant weight, and contributes to malfunctions due to component failure, such as wear, which entails extensive servicing and inspection work.